Finding alternate sources of energy in today’s society is becoming more important than ever before. The big players in alternate energy are wind and solar energy. Of the two, wind energy is perhaps the least well understood. If you’ve ever wondered what is wind energy, then this article will help you understand the basics of how it works and how it can be used.

The first thing you are probably wondering is, “What is wind energy”? The answer to this question seems obvious enough. When wind blows, that is energy from the wind. To understand it at a deeper level, you must understand where it comes from and its nature so that you can appreciate the benefits (and challenges) of using it. It is a form of kinetic energy, or energy in motion, and is created by the sun’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere. As the sun warms the Earth’s surface, heated air over the land (which is formed by the sun’s rays) begins to rise. As this air begins to rise, colder air from lower lying regions fills the vacuum left by the escaping warm air. When this colder air rushes in, we feel this as wind.

After gaining a better understanding of what wind energy is, the next thing you’ll want to consider is how it can be used. Unlike stored energy, such as coal, which must be pulverized and combusted to extract the energy from within it, it is kinetic and therefore readily available. Another example of kinetic energy would be a rushing river. In the same way that water flows and is used to power hydroelectric dams, energy from the wind blows and is used to power wind mills and large wind turbines. The problem with wind is that unlike a river, which is constantly moving, it is intermittent.

Now that you understand what wind power is and how it can be used you are probably wondering what the pros and cons are of using it as a power source.

Put simply, the pros are:

• Free and abundant.
• Inexpensive in kilowatt-per-hour terms.
• Clean in its natural state.

Likewise, the cons are:

• Intermittent. It isn’t available all the time.
• Has higher transfer costs.
• Has high start up costs.

As you can see, wind energy holds great promise for powering our future. It’s virtually limitless supply combined with its cleanliness is only hampered by still burdensome operational costs. However, if these can be overcome through technology, it will become a viable power source for many more people.

Green Living